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Archive for August, 2012

Voter ID laws and voter fraud have been a hot topic and intense subject of debate across the country lately. Supporters of voter ID laws are firm believers that it will tackle the issue of voter fraud, which includes but is not limited to dead persons present on registration lists, ballot stuffing, tampering with electronic voting machines, etc. The chorus of opponents of voter ID law have been consistent in vocalizing their opinion that voter ID laws disenfranchise minorities, the elderly, and the youth.

And the opponents of Voter ID laws are now citing a weak example of “voter intimidation” from the Wisconsin recall election back in June where a black woman claims she was “watched” by white election observers.

Catherine Engelbrecht, founder of True The Vote, a Texas-based non-profit organization that combats voter fraud and irregularities, stressed the importance of realizing that fair elections are symbolic of national unity. “There is a disconnect between what the voters want and what the politicians want,” Engelbrecht said. “A confident, engaged electorate leads to a united America.”

Two days ago, an article in the Tucson Sentinel attempted to arouse an emotional response to the voter ID law conversation by invoking a notion that there was voter intimidation in the Wisconsin governor recall election back in June. AJ Vicens and Natasha Khan recounted the story of Jamila Gatlin, an African-American voter who expressed curiosity and intimidation of white “election observers” representing True the Vote, at the polls. Gatlin retorted, “That’s pretty harassing right there, if you ask me. Why do we have to be watched while we vote?”

While this article is a deliberate attempt to promote voter ID activists as individuals who are seeking to suppress minorities, this is nothing but a fabricated myth. Not to mention, having people “observe” the voting process isn’t real intimidation – the Black Panther Party waving knight sticks outside a polling station in Pennsylvania constitutes real voter intimidation.

Former Democratic Rep. Arthur Davis, an African-American from Alabama, debunked this myth in its entirety. “It’s not that this process is being used to favor white candidates in these communities over black candidates, or vice versa,” he said. “It’s African-American candidates running against African-American candidates.”

In order to ensure that voting is free and fair, the observation of activity is necessary. It ensures that each individual, regardless of race, is experiencing the freedom to exercise their vote without fear of illegal activity stripping them of that freedom.

It also creates an unnecessary atmosphere of paranoia. The perception that white election observers are only watching black voters is lunacy. It is nothing more than a tactic of class warfare and division that would only set America backward and not forward.

The article also goes on further to note that about 100 minority protestors—black and Hispanic—were present at an anti-voter ID law rally earlier in the year. One of the protestors, Terry O’Rourke, a TX attorney, gave in to the racial polarization cheered on by the Left regarding this issue. “You don’t have to beat up people up or chain them to keep them from voting,” the attorney said.

This is eerily similar to the controversial and racially tinged “chains” remark VP Joe Biden said in regards to Mitt Romney.

Americans must continue to denounce this rhetoric that is causing racial tensions. The Left simply uses this mechanism because it appeals to emotions and sensitivity. It is a baseless claim, and quite frankly, insults the individuals that liberals claim to represent and defend.

The more the Left becomes exposed in their racial bigotry, the more Americans will become aware of their deceit and ignorance.

Proverbs 3:34: “Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly”

2 Cor 12:9: “And he said unto me,my grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness…”

God’s grace changes everything, his mercy is all that we need, when we’re up and we’re down, God’s arms is wrapped around us.

We all have fallen short of the glory and grace of God. Everyone of us is so unworthy! We all should be doomed and sentenced to a devil’s hell. Despite the many imperfections and our humanity, God is a gracious God. Many times we take for granted his grace and mercies and we tend to take life in our hands, and we make mockery of his laws and commandments, but yet thru it all, God is rich and gracious and merciful!

God is constantly filling our cup with grace. God does not play by the “3 strikes–you’re out” policy, cause if that was the case, NONE of us will be here. One thing that needs to be a constant reminder is that sin has no hold on you, because sin has no power over God’s grace! The devil (our antagonist) cannot dilute, pollute, or extrude the grace of God!! There is absolutely nothing more powerful than God’s grace!

It was God’s grace that found favor in Jacob–a liar and deceiver– and turned him into a leader. It was God’s grace that found favor in Peter, despite the fact that he denied Christ 3 times, and yet Jesus gave him the keys to the kingdom of heaven. It was God’s grace that turned Matthew from a tax collector into a disciple. It’s God’s grace that can turn a “ain’t” into a “saint!”

WE ARE ALL PRODUCTS OF GOD’S GRACE! There is no way we can function on our own without the grace of God.
God’s grace is greater than my enemy. God’s mercy overcomes any struggle that we may face. People who turn their back on the grace of God usually do it because they can’t cope with the fact they have sinned. They let their sins overbear them and they walk away from the presence of God and from the blessings that God has in store for them.

The bitter and divisive rhetoric stemming from the Obama campaign has been taken to higher heights as Vice President’s Joe Biden recently made a recent racial comment to African American voters while on the campaign trail. His comments set the stage for MSNBC liberal contributor Touré to whip out his handy “race” card when discussing Romney’s fiery campaign rhetoric.

On Tuesday, Vice President Joe Biden told a largely black audience in Danville, VA that GOP Presidential candidate Mitt Romney and Republicans were going to “put y’all in chains.” While Joe Biden is no stranger to making gaffesand controversial statements, this was no slip out of the tongue. This was a deliberate attempt to divide Americans on the false premise of a racial divide instead of focusing on the vital issues affecting the households of American families today.

Mitt Romney responded to this hateful and partisan attack by holding the White House solely responsible. “These personal attacks, I think, are demeaning to the office of the White House and the comments yesterday by the vice president just diminish the White House that much more.”

Romney was already on the offense this week, attacking the class warfare mantra of the White House minions by delivering a sharp and relevant message to Obama: “Take your campaign of division and anger and hate back to Chicago.” But leave it to an MSNBC contributor to follow the White House’s example and insert a racial divide.

On Thursday, author and MSNBC contributor Touré gave the most absurd and asinine analysis on Romney’s reaction to the Obama campaign. Touré made the assertion that it was coded language by Romney to provoke the GOP base into believing Obama was “an angry black man” and that this would encourage people to hate Obama. He even went so far as to suggest that this was Romney’s “n****rization” of Obama.

What Touré has actually done is attempt to put America in a regressive era correlated with modern political thought. Not only does Tour é bring disrespect to the office of the President by equating him to such a derogatory word usage, but he also sheds light on the bigoted nature of himself.

Touré has simply done what many liberals do when there is a voice of opposition to the President’s policies: play the race card. In his attempt to paint Romney and conservatives as the party of racists, he made it publicly known that his lack of intelligence is present due to a rejection of progress made in racial relations and culture. Touré is apparently stuck in an era of division and hate. He actually enjoys making a reference to it because he feels that he sympathizes with African-American culture on a basis of victimhood. It’s hard to believe that he sees the first black President of the United States of America as symbolic of racial regression instead of highlighting an historic achievement in the history of America.

Touré doesn’t represent African-Americans, or any American, for that matter. He represents a brainwashed, self-absorbed liberalistic extremist trapped in a time zone of oppression while the rest of America strives towards equality and harmony among mankind.

He views American’s discontent with the Obama administration as a synopsis of a racial division in America. If there is a racial division that exists, you can thank Tour é for it. His racial radicalization mocks the Civil Rights movement and those who sacrificed to put an end to discrimination and racial bigotry.

Touré likes the racial divide. He desires for there to be racial tension between Americans. Why? Because without it, he wouldn’t have a talking points memo and a healthy case of lunacy to share with us.

It was indeed a coherent thought I had possessed the night of Obama’s election victory in 2008 that perhaps America had been healed from the racial wounds of her past. It’s individuals like Touré who causes us to step backward every time we step forward in the right direction.

I’m often asked if I think America will ever be totally eradicated from racism. That remains to be seen. For people like Touré, it’s a matter of a mindset. You are what you think you are. Touré thinks Obama is a victim. He envisions African-Americans as victims. Fortunately, this is a notion that has been and will continue to be rejected by many.

Aren’t we all fascinated with “The Wizard of Oz?” It’s a compelling story about how a Kansas farm girl tries to find her way back home after a tornado places her in a foreign land. Imagine if this story took place today with the same set of characters. What if they witnessed the current tactics involved in the 2012 presidential election? Let’s enter a dream world for just a bit:

Dorothy wakes up in a strange place after sleeping through a wicked tornado. She looks around for her dog, Toto, who had obviously disappeared during the violent storm. She remembers the rumor going around town that the current president, Barack Obama, is an avid lover of dog meat as a dinner entrée. She freaks out! “OMG! Did he somehow get ahold of him?” She cries out in panic, “Toto! Toto! Where are you?” Around a bush, Toto perks his head up. She breathes a sigh of relief and suddenly begins to think of a plan to find her way back home.

She comes across a few villagers on her journey. She asks them for directions on how to get back to her residence. They instruct her to follow a yellow brick road, and that she would come to a ballot box. She was to vote for two individuals, Barack Obama (the current president) or Mitt Romney. The two were vying to give her the best way to lead her home.

During Dorothy’s trip along the yellow brick road, she encountered a couple of strangers. The first stranger was a scarecrow named Harry Reid. He was in need of a brain. He asked if he could join Dorothy on her journey. She didn’t think it was a problem, so she obliged. He warned her, “When we get to the ballot box, vote for Obama cause Romney hasn’t paid his taxes in ten years!” Dorothy responded with a dumbfounded “Huh?” Reid said “Yes, some guy told me the other day, but I forgot his name.” Dorothy then informed Reid that if Romney didn’t pay his taxes for ten years, the IRS would have brought this to our attention, especially since Romney is running for president. It was that moment that Harry Reid realized how badly he needed a brain.

Dorothy saw a group of people a few feet ahead. When she approached them, the group introduced themselves as Priority USA. They asked Dorothy to stop and watch a quick video explaining why Romney shouldn’t be president. The video showed Joe Soptic, an employee who was laid off when Romney’s private equity firm filed for bankruptcy. He goes on to say that because of this, he lost benefits and his wife died of cancer several years later. Dorothy was shocked beyond the pale. “Are they trying to accuse of Romney . . . of murder?” she wondered out loud. The group admitted that they were. “You see Dorothy, many of us here are lacking many things. For us, it’s a heart.” Dorothy responded, “Well that’s obvious. See you guys later.”

Dorothy was nearing the ballot box when she encountered a familiar-looking person. As she approached the person, she realized the person was President Obama himself! “Well this is certainly a surprise,” Dorothy remarked. Obama shook her hand and greeted her with a wide smile. “Glad to see you. I hope that you’ll trust me to lead you for four more years.” Dorothy inquired about the claims Mitt hadn’t paid his taxes in ten years and that he had murdered a woman. “Well Dorothy, one mustn’t let a crisis go to waste. So we’ll let the American people decide for themselves what is factual and what isn’t.” He then went on to explain his situation in the village. “Everyone lacks something here. I lack the courage to call out Reid and Priorities USA, but that’s not my fault. I inherited it from the other guy who was here before me.”

Dorothy stood there with a perplexed look on her face. Could she vote for someone who lacked courage? Could she associate herself with someone who didn’t have the brains to distinguish fact from fiction? Could she possibly stand with people who were heartless? She decided that Romney was the more stand-up guy, and the one with class and merit.

As she was pondering her thoughts, she noticed Obama’s starry glaze at Toto. “Oh no, my dog is NOT your dessert,” she thought to herself. She picked Toto up and sprinted to the ballot box to vote for Mitt Romney.

Revelation 2:4-5 “But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you, and will remove your lampstand out of its place-unless you repent.”

Revelation 3:16, 19 “So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. … be zealous and repent.”

As each day approaches, I am asking myself these thought provoking questions: “What does Jesus really mean to me?” “Am I taking the cross in vain?” “He resurrected from the grave, but is he alive in me?”

Jesus did not die for me to be complacent. Jesus did not shed his blood for me to live a life of mediocrity and apathy. Jesus wants me to be kingdom-minded. He wants us to serve him and not ourselves. I believe that God wants me to serve and love him 365 days a year, and not be a CEO saint. (Christmas and Easter Only). Sometimes I feel that Christians treat their lives like a frozen dinner entree being microwaved…”Lord, it’s Easter Sunday so let me reheat my faith and spirituality so that I can be on fire for you!”

God wants to challenge us to where we are not lukewarm, but that we are a consuming fire for God…He is not looking for faith that has been frozen due to lack of trust in God, selfishness, or carnality. He is looking to abide in our hearts. The Scripture says in Rev 3:20: ”Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.”

Are we ready to dine with the Lord or do we have to put him on hold until we microwave our faith? Will we say “Lord come and dine with me” or will we have responses such as “Gimme a second God, let me microwave my life because I’ve been living in the cold” or “Lord my heart is cold and bitter, let me do an instant reheat and maybe you’ll accept it!”

God wants Christians who will strive for purity and serve him with their whole heart. Does he expect us to be perfect? NO…he does not despise our humanity or our weaknesses, but he doesn’t wants us to succomb to the lifestyles of this dark and corrupt world. We are the Light of the World, a City shining on a Hill.

It’s time to rid ourselves of the “microwave”. If we are truly on fire for the Most High, there will be no need of “reheat” cause we’ll already be on fire! God doesn’t want us to run to the microwave everytime our faith runs dry, or circumstances in life gets a little cold, but he wants us to abide in his faithfulness.

Jesus is knocking on the door of your heart…are you read to serve him dinner…fruits of the Spirit– “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” (Galatians 5:22) Or are you going to take haven beside the microwave?!

The Left’s loud opposition to Voter ID laws has taken a new tack as they now argue that not only the elderly and minorities will be disproportionately affected by photo ID requirements, but now students will be negatively affected by states attempting to enact voter protection laws.

The discussion of the necessity of Voter ID laws is not uncommon these days as the urgency to cease voter fraud is reaching new heights. Many desire to see the election process become fair and accessible to all who desire to cast a vote at the ballot box.

But quite predictably, there has been some opposition to the acquisition of Voter ID laws. Many on the Left argue that requiring an ID disenfranchises minorities and the elderly- Attorney General Eric Holder even recently made the comparison of demanding a photo ID to vote as parallel to a poll tax.

The latest charge in the Left’s absurd dismissal of the issue is that it will affect the turnout of young voters. The Associated Press published a piece written by Martha Irvine that implied that states like Texas, Wisconsin, Kansas and Pennsylvania could prevent young people from voting because they will not allow a student ID to be used to vote.

This is simply a mere distraction from the Left to shift the focus from the issues that are affecting young people daily. Instead of exposing the fact the half of college graduates are unable to find work, the unemployment rate among teenagers is near 24 percent and our federal deficit is near $16 trillion, the Left and mainstream media are attempting to frame an argument that young people will be attentive to false claims of voter suppression instead of asserting awareness to failed and destructive economic policies of the current administration.

Every young voter should be outraged and disappointed at the notion that voter ID advocates are trying to infringe on their right to vote. Whether it’s a claim of voter suppression or racism, I am confident that young voters will look past the rhetoric and vote based upon who they believe is more capable of making sane, coherent, fiscal policy that would serve as an asset for them as they embark upon their career path.

Conservatives and other truth-seeking Americans have been diligent in their pursuit of voter ID laws to counter act voter fraud. Catherine Engelbrecht, founder of True The Vote, a non-partisan organization that combats voter fraud nationwide, stressed the importance of looking beyond the distractions created to decrease voters attention form this imperative issue. “Involvement, observation, holding people accountable–that changes things. And that’s what True the Vote is here to do. Corruption, when not stopped at the polls, rises essentially unchecked to the highest offices in our nation. And it has to stop. If our elections aren’t truly fair, we aren’t truly free.”

It’s been almost four years since the election victory speech in which Barack Obama proclaimed to a jubilant crowd in Chicago that his candidacy was not about him, but about the people. I wish he would’ve transported that same philosophy into his presidency.

With the gun-walking scandal, millions of Americans out of work and looming healthcare cost increases thanks to Obamacare… the president doesn’t seem to be very accountable to the people. It’s time that Americans were bold in standing up to the president and demand that he listen, as he promised he would.

We’ve seen this administration abolish its promise to have an open and transparent government with the clandestine cover-up of Fast and Furious. We’ve seen $5 trillion dollars added to the federal deficit which brings it to a total of 16 trillion as of today. We’ve witnessed unemployment hovering above 8 percent for 41 consecutive months, despite the fact that we were told by President Obama that his near $1 billion dollar stimulus travesty would bring the unemployment rate below 8 percent. At this point, Obama makes Bush look like an accountant.

Bottom line: It is time for government to listen to the people.

One of the biggest issues conservatives now face is to repeal Obamacare. The more President Obama makes the case for this so-called “achievement,” the more resistance he faces from the American people. Roughly 50 percent of Americans favor a repeal of the law, and 44 percent of people are opposed to the massive government interference; even 45 percent of doctors are considering taking an exodus from the heath care workforce due to its stipulations.

Does there need to be health-care reform? No doubt. But health-care reform needs to be made without endangering the private sector or trumping the rights of states. The White House and Congress need to listen to the voices of employers and small-business owners who are in danger of falling victim to the government’s demands. Employers could be faced with the devastating option of either decreasing benefits to the employees or increasing the cost.

With the government overhaul, the risk that taxpayers must incur is that the quality of health care will likely not be totally sufficient. If the government and Obama really want health care reform, they need to listen to the voices of the people. Recent polls numbers show that Americans are continually disappointed with Obama’s job performance because he simply won’t listen to the people.

There needs to be an army of activists, civic and community leaders, students and citizens of every kind who are not afraid to vocalize their concerns and demands and they need to do this in an amplified tone that will reach the gates of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue and the halls of the House and Senate. They need to be clear in their message that the days of the Big Government army are over and that they will no longer be complacent.

We need to be fierce, persistent, bold and determined in our quest for economic freedom and liberty. We’ll have to battle the mainstream media with their liberal propaganda; we’ll have to confront constant and false charges of “racism” every time we mount an opposition to Obama’s socialistic policies. We need to be fierce in the face of being painted as homophobic, intolerant and radicals who are trying to steer American into a far-right whirlwind of chaos and confusion.

Now is not the time to quit the race to restoring America. This is not for whiners, complainers and those who loathe in self-pity. This is an urgent call for the patriots who are not afraid to put themselves on the front line and defend the values that made America become the great nation that she is.

We’ve been tormented by the perils of big government long enough. Time to put our words into action. Time to step out of the comfort zone. There is too much at stake for us to be quiet. Government isn’t listening. It’s time me make them.